Tongue-switch.



PATENTYBD 00T.l 25,190;E HgG, ISB'NBERG. TONGUE SWITCH.l 'APPLICATIONFILED 0012.5.

No MODEL.

DNS nrofmfr.4

Patented October 25, 1904.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE'.`

HERBERT e.. IsENBERe, oF JoHNsToWN, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoR To THE LoRAINsTEEL COMPANY, A CORPORATION oF PENNSYLVANIA.

i. TONGUE-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslateilt No; 773,013, dated October25, 1904.

Application led October 5, 1903. Serial No. 175,823. (No model.)

To (LZ whom t may concern.-

Beit known that I, HERBERT G. ISENBERG, of Johnstown, in the county ofCambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Tongue-Switches, of which the. following is a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification. g

My invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements intongue-switches,

' spring-switch or as a positively-locked right and is designed toprovide means whereby by a simple change in the arrangement of springsor by the omission thereof the switch may be adapted for use as either aright or left hand or left hand switch, using in each case the samespring-box, operating mechanism, and tongue attachments; also, toprovide means whereby, if desired, the same-structure may be used eitheras a right or left hand springswitch and as a positively-locked switch;also, to provide means for holding the tongue dow to its bed or seat. Y

With these objects in viewmy invention consists in the novelconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, all substantiallyas hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1v isa plan view of a tongue-switch embodying my invention, the cover of thespring-box being removed; Fig. 2, a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;Fig. 3, a section on the line 3B of Fig. 1, and Figs. 4 and detailviews. The letter A designates the bodyT of the structure, and B thepivoted tongue. Attached to the tongue intermediate of its ends is alaterally-extending arm C, having a depending lug c, through whichpasses a rod D.

One end of this rod carries ahead or nut d, and the opposite end issecured in adepending lug e'of a slide E, supported in guides E andoverlapping at one end the arm C.

F F are spiral springs on the rod D, one of them being seated betweenthe head CZ and the lug c and the other one between the said y lug andthe lug c.

notch or recess e' in the under side of the slide E.

The connection between the arm C andthe tongue B is preferably made asfollows: The

tongue is formed with a-depending dovetailed lug which is preferablyforged thereon. The arm C is formed with an end portion o, shaped tofitr against one side of this lug, and litting against the opposite sideis a separable piece C', bolted or otherwise secured to the arm C. ingat A' in the guard portion of the body portion A, and thereby preventsthe tongue from lifting or jumping from its seat.

When the lever H is moved over to the position shown in Fig. 2,. thespring F is compressed and acts to hold the tongue in its lefthandposition, at the same time, however, permitting the tongue to betrailed. When the lever H is moved to its opposite position, the rod Dis moved endwise, thereby compressing the spring F, which then acts toIhold the tongue set to its right-hand position.

It will be seen that inasmuch as the dog G is moved considerably bycenter by the movement of the lever H the slide cannot move back againstthis dog, as its guides prevent it from rising sufficiently to take theare of movement of the end of the dog. The arrangement therefore forms alock which cannot be released except by the movement of the lever H. Incase it is desiredv to positively lock the tongue a-pin maybe droppedthrough the holes indicatedby the dotted'lines at p in Fig. Q. Thislocks the tongue against any movement, except through the lever H. Ifthe tongue is to be habitually positively locked, the'springs will beomitted, as in such cases they perform no function.

In the event that the tongue is to be habitually set to one side or theother and used as a This arm extends through an openspring-switch, whichis usually the case,either the spring F or F is omitted, as the case maybe, the purpose of the invention beingto provide an attachment for aswitch which by a simple change in the arrangement of springs, or by theomission thereof, may be fitted up at the shops for a spring-switch witheither right or left hand throw or for a positive lock, using in eachcase the same spring-box` lever movement, and tongue attachment.

I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction, combination, andarrangement of parts herein shown and described. as various changes maybe made in the details thereof without departing` from my invention asit is defined in and by the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. The combination with the movable tongue or point having alaterally-extending arm, provided with an abutment for one or moresprings, of a slide also carrying one or more spring-abutments opposingthat oi' the said arm, and an operating and locking device for saidslide.

2. The combination with a movable switch tongue or point having alaterally-extending arm, provided with a spring-abutment, a slidecarrying opposing abutments, an operating and locking device for saidslide, and means whereby said arm and slide may be positively connectedto each other.

3. rlhe combination with the movable point or tongue, of a slide,spring-abutments carried by the tongue and slide, means whereby springsmay be seated against said abutments to act upon the tongue in one orboth directions, and an operating and locking device for the said slide.

4. In a switch the combination with a movable point or tongue, of an armconnected thereto and extending laterally underneath the guard member ofthe switch structure, means for seating a spring or springs to act uponsaid arm in either direction or in both directions, and an operating andlocking device.

5. .In a switch, the combination oi a. movable tongue or' point, alaterally extending arm connected thereto, and having a depending lug, aslide also having a depending lug, a rod secured in the last-named lugand extending through the lug on the said arm and terminating in aspring-abntment, and means for operating and locking the slide.

6. In aswitch, the combination with a movable tongue `or point, having alaterally-extending arm connected thereto, said arm having a dependinglug, a slide also having a depending lug, a spring-guide secured in thelast-named lug and extending through the lug of said arm andterminating' in a spring-abutment, means whereby the slide may bepositively secured to the said arm, and means for operating and lockingthe said slide.

7. In a switch, the combination with a movable point or tongue, ol aslide connected thereto, guides for said slide, a combined loching andoperating pawl or dog engaging said slide, and means for actuating thepawl or dog.

8. Ina switch, the combination with a movable point or tongue, of aslide connected thereto, guides for said slide, apiveted dog or pawlengaging said slide, and an operating lever engaging the dog or pawl.

9. In a switch, the combination with a movable point or tongue, of aslide lor actuating the same, a dog or pawl for actuatingand locking theslide, and a socketed operating-lever engaging the opposite arm of saiddog or pawl.

l0. In a switch-operating mechanism, the combination with the slide Ehaving the notch or recess c, of the dog or pawl G having the toothedand shouldered upper end portionengaging the said recess, and theoperating-lever H engaging the lower end portion ol said dog or pawl andhaving a socket at its upper end.

In testimony whereof I have aiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

HERBERT Gr. ISEN BER( Titnesscsz Geo. H. Pai-minnen, H. IV. SMITH.

